What Are the Factors That Affect Human Behavior?

Factors that affect human behavior include attitude, perception, genetics, culture, social norms and ethics of a society, religious inclination, coercion and influence by authority. Human behavior is defined as the range of actions and behaviors exhibited by humans at certain stages of development. A society generally expects individuals to have good behavior and shuns wicked tendencies.

Human behavior can either be premeditated by an individual or happen as a result of pressure, coercion and nudges. For example, teenagers and youth are influenced to act, dress, speak and think in certain ways by their role models. In addition, their mentors and peers can positively or negatively affect their behavior. These actions are also dependent on the capabilities and limitations of a person. For example, a person who is physically disabled may not have the predisposition to engage in competitive sports like able-bodied people.

For people to interact safely with others and with the world, they must have the right attitudes and perceptions towards certain phenomena. Another factor that affects human behavior is past experiences. A child may not know the difference between right and wrong, but as he grows up, he learns the effects of his actions and behavior through experience.

Negative aspects that affect human behavior are illogical reasoning, poor memory, lack of attention and poor judgment.